Patentable/Patents/US-10126518
US-10126518

Lens barrel, image-capturing device, and method for controlling lens barrel

PublishedNovember 13, 2018
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A lens barrel in which tilt adjustment can be made depending on the position of a lens unit in the optical axis direction. This lens barrel includes: at least three guide bars provided so as to extend along the optical axis direction; a driving unit that respectively drives the at least three guide bars in the optical axis direction; a lens frame holding unit that holds an image-capturing lens, the lens frame holding unit being attached to at least three guide bars and being driven in the optical axis direction by the at least three guide bars; and a control unit that controls said at least three linear actuators so as to adjust the respective drive amounts in the optical axis direction of the at least three guide bars and to tilt the lens frame holding unit from a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A lens barrel comprising: a zoom optical system having a lens which can move in an optical axis direction of the zoom optical system; and a control unit which changes a tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction based on a focal distance of the zoom optical system.

2

2. The lens barrel according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit changes the tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction upon movement of the lens in the optical axis direction during zooming or focusing.

3

3. The lens barrel according to claim 2 , further comprising a storage unit that stores data showing a relationship between a focal distance and the tilt of the lens, wherein the control unit changes a tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction based on the data which the storage unit stores and the focal distance of the zoom optical system.

4

4. The lens barrel according to claim 3 , further comprising: a lens holding unit that holds the lens; and a guide bar which is attached to the lens holding unit and provided so as to extend in the optical axis direction, wherein the control unit drives the guide bar in the optical axis direction.

5

5. The lens barrel according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit changes the tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction by adjusting a driving amount in the optical axis direction of the guide bar.

6

6. The lens barrel according to claim 5 , further comprising a position detecting unit that detects a position of the guide bar in the optical axis direction, wherein the control unit changes the tilt of the lens based on the position of the guide bar detected by the position detecting unit.

7

7. The lens barrel according to claim 6 , further comprising a driving unit that drives the guide bar, wherein the control unit controls a driving amount of the driving unit and changes the tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction.

8

8. The lens barrel according to claim 7 , wherein the driving unit moves the lens in the optical axis direction and changes the tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction.

9

9. The lens barrel according to claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of guide bars.

10

10. An image-capturing device comprising the lens barrel according to claim 1 .

11

11. A lens barrel comprising: a zoom optical system having a lens which can move in an optical axis direction of the zoom optical system; and a control unit which changes a tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction based on information relating to a position in the optical axis direction of the lens.

12

12. The lens barrel according to claim 11 , further comprising a storage unit that stores data showing a relationship between the information relating to a position in the optical axis direction of the lens and the tilt of the lens, wherein the control unit changes a tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction based on the data which the storage unit stores and the position of the lens in the optical axis direction.

13

13. The lens barrel according to claim 12 , further comprising: a lens holding unit that holds the lens; and a guide bar which is attached to the lens holding unit and provided so as to extend in the optical axis direction, wherein the control unit drives the guide bar in the optical axis direction.

14

14. The lens barrel according to claim 13 , further comprising a driving unit that drives the guide bar, wherein the control unit controls a driving amount of the driving unit and changes a tilt of the lens with respect to the optical axis direction.

15

15. The lens barrel according to claim 14 , wherein the control unit controls the driving amount of the driving unit based on a zoom amount of the zoom optical system.

16

16. The lens barrel according to claim 14 , wherein the control unit controls the driving amount of the driving unit based on focus information of the zoom optical system.

17

17. The lens barrel according to claim 14 , wherein the control unit controls the driving amount of the driving unit based on a position of the lens.

18

18. The lens barrel according to claim 13 , further comprising a position detecting unit that detects a position of the guide bar in the optical axis direction, wherein the control unit changes the tilt of the lens based on the position of the guide bar detected by the position detecting unit.

19

19. A method for driving a lens barrel including a zoom optical system having a lens which can move in an optical axis direction of the zoom optical system, comprising: a control unit changing a tilt of the lens in the optical axis direction based on a focal distance of the zoom optical system.

20

20. A method for driving a lens barrel including a zoom optical system having a lens which can move in an optical axis direction of the zoom optical system, comprising: a control unit changing a tilt of the lens in the optical axis direction based on information relating to a position of the lens in the optical axis direction.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

October 19, 2016

Publication Date

November 13, 2018

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Cite as: Patentable. “Lens barrel, image-capturing device, and method for controlling lens barrel” (US-10126518). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10126518

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